Deception
by skilled-like-a-ninja
Summary: A prophecy, a coming of age, a betrayal. [AU, femmeslash]


**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognize is not mine. However, I wrote the prophecy.

**Author's Notes:** Flame if you wish. However, if you do, flame the writing, not the story elements. I won't be very happy if I get flames about my choice of pairing, or that it's AU. I know that. I was trying something different. Thanks very much. This is **_SLASH_** (femmeslash to be precise) and if you don't like it, I strongly suggest you don't read it. Also **_VERY AU._** Enjoy!

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_The seventh daughter of a seventh daughter_

_Whose immortal enemy is water_

_Shall fall into an unlikely love_

_And change the Earth and heavens above_

_On her birthday seventeenth_

_This prophecy its power shall unleash_

_Do not forget, you have been told_

_Through this prophecy of old_

There are the words of the forgotten prophecy, the words uttered by Edgar Allen Poe (who was indeed a wizard) many years ago. The people paid no heed, and the prophecy failed the tests of time. But that is soon to change…

At midnight on the eve of the prophecy's fulfilling, the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe stood before a lopsided house in the countryside, and through the balmy August night, the chanted words of the prophecy could be heard coming from his ghostly lips.

The prophecy was about to be fulfilled.

Ginny Weasley awoke in the early hours of August 11th, a strange chant singing in her ears. Unsettled, she turned over and tried to return to the depths of sleep, not remembering her seventeenth birthday.

Hermione Granger stirred carefully; two clockwise stirs, one counterclockwise. She knew she had to get this right; the fate of the wizarding world depended on it. Her eyes found their way upwards, for Hermione was in a hidden room. One seemingly unfortunate day, she had fallen off the moving stairs, only to find herself here. Delighted, she had used the room to put her plan into action.

Snape had agreed to test the product of her work, knowing its importance. He swallowed a bit, then watched as Hermione dabbed something on her lips.

"Hermione, my love, what is that?" he asked. Hermione smiled.

"Just lip balm, that smells and tastes good. It's a special formula I made myself."

"You'll have to give me the recipe sometime," he replied, kissing her. As soon as his lips touched hers, what was really an antidote began its work, and within seconds Snape was back to normal.

"Apologies," he said, curt as ever, then swept out of the dungeon.

Hermione smiled. Now her plan was nearly complete.

The morning of her seventeenth birthday, Ginny received a note in the post. It was from Hermione.

_Dear Ginny,_

_Happy Seventeenth Birthday! We're having a party tonight, but I have a whole sack of potatoes that needs peeling. I'll make your favorite cheesy potatoes if I ever finish peeling them! Have a great birthday and see you later tonight!_

_Love,  
Hermione_

The bait was set. Hermione really did have a sack of potatoes – and she knew Ginny would come to help her peel them, out of wanting for the cheesy potatoes and out of kindness. That was how Ginny was.

Sure enough, Ginny turned up a few hours later.

"Thought I'd come help, since you have so many potatoes…" she said shyly. Hermione, having already anticipated this, protested. Ginny brushed the protests away and started peeling.

All was going according to plan…

As Ginny was getting ready to leave, Hermione told her to Floo to "Secret Room" for the party. She hugged her farewell, and with a crack Ginny had Disapparated. Hermione smiled.

Surely it would work.

Hermione had given Nigel specific instructions. He was to put Amortentia in the birthday girl's platter of cheesy potatoes. Nigel was a first year; a fearful, pathetic first year. But still, Hermione needed assurance he would do it. He had been under the Imperius curse for nearly a week now, instructed to go around his business as usual.

Hermione placed the place cards on the table, smiling. iRon, Harry, Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Hermione, Fred, George, Charlie/i they read, in order. It was going to be a small party, family only. Bill hadn't been able to make it, unfortunately.

The Weasleys and Harry Flooed in, and a general bustled ensued as they greeted Hermione and thanked her for hosting the party and all those other polite nothings. Nigel brought out the food, as Mrs. Weasley fussed over him. Any minute now…

Ginny took a large bite of cheesy potatoes, and then turned to Hermione.

"Hermione, can we go out in the hall for a moment? There's something I'd like to ask you."

Hermione obliged and was led into the hall. Hermione saw out of the corner of her eye Harry slipping under his shimmery Invisibility Cloak, then disappearing from sight. She smiled maliciously to herself. It was going even better than she had hoped.

Ginny led Hermione into the hall. "Hermione –" her breath caught in her throat, and she kissed Hermione passionately. Hermione went along with it and returned the kiss. She heard Harry gasp aloud under his cloak and her lips curved upwards as she kissed Ginny with even more fire.

Ginny and Hermione returned to the party and acted as though nothing had happened, although Ginny let her know otherwise through discreet touches under the table.

Harry was pale and looked upset all evening.

Over the next few weeks, Hermione monitored Harry's behavior closely. To her delight, she saw that he was depressed and forlorn, barely eating. Her guess had been right Hermione was able to keep Ginny under the influence of the long-lasting Amortentia through a specially developed lip balm, so that when they kissed Ginny received another dose.

When Ginny and **Hermione** finally revealed their affair to the world, Harry was crushed. He would not eat. He would not sleep.

The night after the secret was unveiled, Hermione crept into his room with a knife in hand. She stabbed him before he could wake up, crimson blood seeping across his chest as he opened his eyes for the last time. Shock registered on his face before he died.

Hermione faked a suicide note in Harry's hand, leaving it on his desk. Then she stole out of the room, silent as a shadow.

That night, the fate of the wizarding world was inevitably sealed. The Chosen One had killed himself. And Ginny, despite her "love" for Hermione, felt the guilt as keenly as any other. Eventually, she drowned herself, for she was shunned and guilty and could not bear living any longer. The wizarding world fell, and Lord Voldemort rose.

"Very good work, my dear," drawled the Dark Lord, sipping a martini. A young woman with brown hair was in the room, facing the fire with her back to him. She was wearing a sleeveless shirt that revealed the Dark Mark on her arm.

"Thank you, my lord," said Hermione, turning around to reveal her face. It was intoxicated with a wild and venomous glee.

She had succeeded.

**Author's Notes: **Like I said above, flame if you wish. Don't, however, flame my pairings, or slash, or my plot. I know that it's AU and I was trying it out. It was fun. Thanks, and if you review i'll give you a cookie.

Cheers!


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